Here's chapter 4 I promised would be up tonight. Here's a shout out to all of those who've reviewed this story thank you so much they have meant a lot to me. Enjoy you're reading and happy holidays
While the other agents had spread out to there specified destinations Emily and Hotch worked in a comfortable silence. Every once in awhile Hotch would glance out of the corner of his eye trying to discreetly check on his wife making sure she didn't need anything.
The third time Hotch returned with water and snacks Emily shook her head, "Aaron you know you're not as sneaky as you think you are." Emily looked at him and was pleased to see the sheepish grin on his face. "Aaron talk to me, staring at me when you think I'm not looking is starting to feel stalkerish."
Hotch shook his head, "I knew I couldn't get away with it for that long."
"Yeah that was pretty much a given" Emily responded "You know that I'm safe in the precinct right or am I going to have to drag you to some supply closet to make you feel better" Emily looked deeply into his face looking for any sign that he had heard her. As she saw the flit of a smile, she knew she'd made some impact. Carefully trying to school her expressions she felt the knot of fear in her stomach begin to grow.
Chuckling slightly Hotch shook his head "Only you could make a supply closet sound like a punishment and a reward at the same time." Looking into her eyes, he saw a dart of fear pass over, it was so slight that if he hadn't been looking at her at that exact moment he'd have missed it and that worried him. "Em, are you sure you're okay. I know you say you're okay with this but are you positive? We can pull you out, I'd be thrilled if you'd go and stay at little creek maybe take Jack with you could make Christmas cookies with Mama Rossi."
Watching her contemplative look Hotch made an executive decision that this conversation should be somewhere private. He pulled her up and escorted her to an empty office. He was worried, he knew something was bothering her and he was hoping it was the nerves of the baby and that she fit the victimology but in his gut, he knew it was something else.
Once they were in the empty office, he sat her down in a chair and knelt in front of her. Pulling her into a soft embrace, he heard the quite sobs. Holding her as tight as he dared he made soothing noises while rubbing circles on her back.
"Hey talk to me. What's going on in your head?" Hotch asked after ten minutes. He was worried she didn't break down on a case unless something was really bothering her. He carefully turned her head so he could look into her eyes and was concerned when he saw the fear and guilt "Em what's going on. Talk to me"
"I'm scared Aaron." Emily whispered, she didn't know whether she should tell him about her feelings, she didn't want to worry him over nothing while at the same time it might not be nothing.
Shaking his head "Em, I'm going to need a lot more clarification than that. You don't become scared unless there's a good reason. Has something happened?" Fear and panic started to rise. Had they not done enough, had something happened what if someone had threatened her?
Seeing the fear and panic in her husband's eyes, she quickly shook her head to reassure him "No, no Aaron nothings happened. It's just…" taking a deep breath she continued "It's just lately I've felt like someone's been watching me, and that the only time I've felt safe has been with you or the team and while on this case I don't even feel safe with any of you." Watching his eyes fill with compassion, understanding and protectiveness she felt the knot in her stomach loosen. Maybe it was just a mixture of hormones and the case she hoped it was heaven knew this team didn't need anymore drama.
Hearing his wife's confession was like a blow to the stomach. Hotch's mind was racing she didn't feel safe, even with him. She felt as though someone was watching her. His mind was going a mile a minute. Feeling a caress on his face brought him back to the present situation, "How long Em?"
"A couple of weeks, ever since that case in Alabama I've been chalking up to hormones and stress." She admitted softly.
Slowly nodding his head, Hotch remembered that case, pregnant women had been kidnapped, and everyone had been on edge. She had been guarded the entire time, until the unsubs had been caught and the women safely found "Why didn't you tell me." The anguish was evident in his voice.
"Aaron, there's been no indication that it's been anything more than a feeling. If there had been I would have told you, you know that right." Emily asked desperately looking in his face for any indication that he knew
Looking her in the eyes "of course I know that Em, I just don't like that my wife doesn't feel safe." He shook his head, and rubbed his forehead. "When the others return I'm sending you home with JJ, you're going to stay at little creek until all of this is over." Hearing her start to protest "Em please, it's been hard enough having you at the precinct, but I want you to feel safe and I need to know you're both safe." He pleaded while rubbing her stomach.
"Okay, I'm sorry I shouldn't have been on this case to start with, you were right i..."
Aaron quickly cut her of putting a finger to her mouth "Hey you were doing your job Emily, and know you've done your part. But until everyone returns and we have a chance to send you to little creek you're not allowed to go anywhere alone. I know it's only a feeling but I don't want to risk anything." Aaron told her. Seeing her nod her head he felt the fear and panic start to fade. They'd be okay they always were. Pulling her into a hug, he smelled her hair; she'd used the coconut passion fruit scent that always felt like coming home.
"Now that we're in agreement why don't we finish the profile and get you sent off." As Hotch guided her through the precinct back to the conference center, he noticed officer Burns looking at them. Something about officer Burns tugged in the back of his mind but he couldn't put his finger on it. He made a mental note to talk to the officer later.
As Rossi and Detective Clark entered in the morgue, a foreboding chill descended upon them. Neither man knew why but a feeling of dread overcame them.
"I've always hated morgues." Detective Clark muttered as the both walked towards the medical examiner.
"I couldn't agree more." Rossi said, "Hopefully Dr. Howard has made some progress, and he was able to retrieve some DNA from Ellen Grey's body. We need a miracle if we're going to find Alice Cain alive." Rossi watched as Detective Clark nodded his head in agreement. Looking at Ellen Grey's body Rossi didn't know which unnerved him more the look of defeat in the detective or the fact that the body of Ellen Grey could have been mistaken for Prentiss either way he knew that no one would rest easy until this unsub was behind bars or dead. In his mind dead was the preferable option.
Rossi and Detective Clark made there way around the autopsy tables to greet Dr. Howard. Dr. Howard looked up from his medical charts "Agent Rossi, Detective Clark I'm glad you were able to come down. I've found some interesting things about this young lady." He informed them as he began pulling out his file "It appears as though Mrs. Grey was burned post-mortem, her primary cause of death was strangulation however it appears as though she fought back, it would seem that whoever killed Ellen Grey didn't want any evidence to be found."
Rossi nodded "were you able to retrieve any DNA from her fingernails, we were informed there was a possibility that." Rossi knew that they needed something, anything they needed a break to find Alice Cain alive, even though if you asked Reid the statistics of finding her alive now were low.
Watching Dr. Howard nod his head, "We retrieved DNA; it's being processed and ran through every data base we have access to. It's a slow process but if it's someone local such as a registered sex offender, anyone on probation, or someone in law enforcement we should have results within the next twenty- four hours."
Shaking his head Rossi felt the sorrow he whispered "That may be to late Doc. If you find anything out let us know" looking at Detective Clark they both thanked the doctor and headed out of the morgue.
Turning to look at Rossi, Detective Clark questioned, "with your experience Agent Rossi, do you think we'll find Alice Cain alive?"
Taking a deep breath "Honestly I don't know, but I pray that we do." With one final look at the morgue that held the bodies of five innocent women. Rossi and Detective Clark continued the silent journey back to the precinct.
Reid and Morgan made there way to the reception desk as soon as they entered the gym. Leaning on the front desk, Morgan flashed his badge "FBI, We need to speak to your manager"
The young girl looked up in shock, stuttering "I…I'lllll….gggeeettt hhiim right aawwwaaay." Picking up the phone, she immediately started talking to the person on the other line. Returning her attention to the two men in front of her, she informed them "He'll be down in a moment; he said to help you with anything you need."
Holding out the pictures of the three victims connected to the gym "do you recognize any of these women." Morgan questioned.
"Yes all three of them, they seemed to have the worst luck when it came to men." She informed them.
Looking at her nametag Morgan questioned further "Cassie, what do you mean by that." Watching her eyes shift and nervousness settle over her and he knew she knew something.
Reid looked at her calculating before pressuring her "Cassie two of these women are dead and statistically speaking" he pointed to Alice Cain's picture "this woman's chances of being found alive are drastically dwindling with each passing second. Anything you know may save her life."
"All I know is that they each had an issue with a southern man here. He wouldn't take no for an answer even though it was obvious they were married. There was a confrontation between the guy and that ladies husband. They both had to be escorted off the premises." Cassie informed them as she pointed to Margaret Stevens's picture
Finally, a break Morgan thought, "When was this"
"About a week or two ago"
"That would have been just before the murders started." Reid mused, "That may have been the breaking point, if he's an alpha male something like that may have tipped him over the edge."
Just as they were about to question the receptionist further the manager came in stick his hand out "I'm Andrew Barkley, I'm the manager. What can I do to help you gentlemen?"
"Do you remember an incident between a Willis Stevens and a southern gentleman?" Reid questioned
"Yes, was quite a nasty fight, I had to ban that gentleman from here, he was causing too much trouble." Andrew Barkley informed them shuffling through some papers on the desk "I think we have his name here. We filed and incident report I only have to find it. It doesn't appear to be here I'll keep looking though"
As the manager looked through his papers, Morgan looked around the area immediately noticing the cameras. "Do you have the tapes from the day of the fight?" Morgan questioned.
"Yes it was only a few weeks ago, they're digital do you need me to send them somewhere."
Hearing the man's answer Derek immediately pulled out his phone and dialed "Baby girl, we have some security footage from the gym, I need you to do a facial recognition on the man who got into a fight with Willis Steven's he may be our unsub."
"You're wish is my command, Hot stuff, is there anything else that you my scrumptious Adonis god need." Garcia quickly tapped some keys on her computers
Morgan shook his head and chuckled "Nothing right now baby girl, but I'll let you know, the files should be to your computer in a few minutes." Hearing a sigh and then a laugh "you already hacked in and got the footage already, didn't you baby girl"
"I'm not called the supreme goddess and oracle of knowledge for nothing hot stuff. I'll call you when I know something." With that, Derek was met with a dial tone; he couldn't suppress the grin that threatened to overtake him. Shaking his head, he turned to Reid and the Manager "Thank you for your time, we'll take those tapes and be on our way."
"You're very welcome I hope you catch who ever did this," Mr. Barkley informed them as they turned to leave.
As the both walked towards the SUV Morgan heard Reid muttering to himself. Looking at him "what did you say kid"
"What are the odds that a southern gentleman would be the one to get in a fight with Mr. Steven's let alone there being a new southern gentleman at the precinct." Reid questioned, he still didn't like officer Burns he seemed to familiar and he definitely didn't like the way he looked at Emily
"I don't know kid, statistics are your field. But I will tell you don't jump to conclusions we'll have Garcia run a background on Burns if that'll make you feel better." Morgan said shocked at the hostility Reid felt for officer Burns." Jumping to conclusions is why innocent men die."
"I know that Morgan, I just don't like him." Reid responded as they entered the SUV and Derek started the engine.
"Let's head back to the precinct and see what everyone else has found. Once we get the unsub we'll tackle your dislike of southerns."
Rolling his eyes Reid responded "its not that I don't like southerns it's that I don't like this specific one."
Laughing Morgan pulled onto the street heading back to the precinct "Honestly Reid I think we'll all feel a lot better once we've caught this unsub and grounded Emily to headquarters."
"Amen to that Derek amen to that." Reid agreed, the knot in his stomach was growing but he trusted his team and he trusted Emily. He wouldn't let anything happen to his sister/mother even if he had to help Derek; Hotch and Rossi hog-tie her to a bed to keep her home. Satisfied with his new resolve he stared out the window.
The man was livid; he'd seen her enter the empty office with her husband. It made him sick she would be his she should be his. Nothing would stop it. He'd get rid of the parasite in her body and take her home. He knew exactly how he would get her. She would be leaving soon he'd heard them but he would take her before she left. Nothing would keep her from him.
Watching them exit the office he met her husbands eyes if only the fool knew how she'd turn on him they always did she was his only his.
Smirking the man quickly began to make plans, by the end of the day she would be his and Alice Cain and that parasite would be gone. Merry Christmas to him he chuckled.
There will probably only be 2 chapters and an epilogue left it will all be up on the 24th or the 25th depending on how busy I get. Once again, thanks to everyone who's reviewed and anyone else who want to review they are more than appreciated.
-Galadinzel